THE CATFTSHES OF VENEZUELA — SCHTJLTZ 191 



of gill filaments are two or three rows of short papillae; the gill rakers 

 are triangular in shape and of a fleshy nature; the posterior side of 

 the gill arches is broad with three or four rows of papillalike fleshy- 

 gill rakers, the inner row composed of more or less elongate ridges; 

 at upper ends of gill arches occur a few folds of tissue; the fifth gill 

 arch without gill filaments has a series of fleshy gill rakers, and then 

 below is a band of villiform teeth. 



Remarks. — The following key indicates some of the essential char- 

 acters that separate Sovichthys from Iheringichthys. 



la. Pectoral spine pungent, serrated anteriorly and strongly serrated posteriorly; 

 locking mechanism fully and functionally developed; posterior process of 

 cleithrum broad and extending backward nearly half length of pectoral 

 spine; dorsal spine pungent, with locking mechanism fully and functionally 

 developed; unlocking mechanism functions by pulling out short spine 

 between predorsal plate and base of dorsal spine (encircling tvbes in skin 

 with pores extending at right angles to lateral line not observed by me 

 and not described); origin of adipose fin more than two orbit diameters 

 behind base of dorsal fin Iheringichthys Eigenmann and Norris * 



16. Pectoral spine pungent, not serrated anteriorly but serrated posteriorly; lock- 

 ing mechanisms of pectoral spine and of dorsal first simple ray not developed 

 and nonfunctional; no small spine between predorsal plate and base of 

 first dorsal ray; first dorsal ray flexible and thus not pungent; no backward- 

 projecting process of cleithrum over base of pectoral fin; about 14 to 17 

 lines or tubes in skin, associated with tiny papillae or pores, extending at 

 right angles to lateral line and mostly encircling body; origin of adipose 

 fin immediately behind (about one orbit diameter) base of dorsal fin. 



Sovichthys, new genus 



Named Sovichthys in honor of the Standard Oil Co. of Venezuela, 

 an organization that has aided in the industrial development of Vene- 

 zuela and helped make possible this study of the fishes of the Maracaibo 

 Basin. 



Genotype. — Sovichthys abuelo, new species. 



SOVICHTHYS ABUELO. new species 



Bagre Abuelo 

 Plate 1, A 



Holotype.—U.^.'NM. No. 121183, a specimen 215 mm. in standard 

 length, taken by Leonard P. Schultz, April 30, 1942, in the Rio de 

 Los Pajaros, 3 km. above Lago Maracaibo, at a depth of 15 feet. 



Paratopes (all collected by Leonard P. Schultz).— U.S.N.M. No. 

 121198, 4 specimens, collected along with the holotype and bearing 

 same data; U.S.N.M. No. 121188, Rio Agua CaHente, 2 to 3 km. 



» IheTingichthys Eigenmann and NorrLs, Rev. Mus. Paulista, vol. 4, p. 354, 1900. (Type, Pimelodus labroaus 

 Krbyer.) 



Bergiella Eigenmann and Norris, Rev. Mus. Paulista, vol. 4, p. 355, 1900. (Type, Pimelodus westermannl 

 Reinhardt.) 



I have observed in the literature that three species have been referred to this genus: /. labrosus (KrSyer), 

 /. westermanni Reinhardt, and /. megalopg Eigenmann and Ward. 



